What Is Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder in Children?

Disinhibited social engagement disorder in children

How to recognize this disorder

First of all, these are some of the frequent signs that may help detect and diagnose this disorder in children:

• The child shows no fear or shyness when meeting someone new.
• He or she displays an active attitude in regard to strangers as if he or she were interacting with a trusted friend. The child will hug strangers willingly.
• Children with this disorder have no problem going off with someone they don’t know. What’s more, they’ll do so without asking for permission from parents or caretakers.

As you can imagine, children that suffer from this disorder are at great risk on a daily basis given their willingness to go off with strangers. What’s more, they may have a hard time connecting on an emotional level with their peers and family members.

When should you talk to your doctor?

In order to determine if you should see a doctor, ask yourself the following questions:

• Instead of turning to parents, relatives, and teachers, does your child seek the support, comfort, and company of strangers?
• Does he or she have an overly sociable and affectionate attitude toward strangers?
• Does your child move away from parents and caretakers upon arriving at a new place?
• Is your child prone to asking strangers very personal questions?

What does DSED have to do with ADHD?

Disinhibited social engagement disorder in children can have factors in common with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to some psychiatric specialists. However, it’s important to know the difference between the two.

The common ground between these two disorders is an excessive and inappropriate friendliness toward strangers. At the same time, both disorders involve difficulty establishing limits in social relations. However, ADHD is not associated with a lack of attachment in the early stages of life.

What’s the cause of disinhibited social engagement disorder?

In some cases, experts point to a lack of attention toward the child during the early stages of life, including infancy. This lack of attachment can later lead to disinhibited social engagement disorder in children. But other factors can also lead to this disorder, including living in orphanages or shelters from a young age.

However, while a lack of attention in early childhood increases a child’s chances of developing DSED, not all children who develop the disorder experienced neglect. In fact, the disorder is also associated with unstable or inconsistent family environments as well as with traumatic events. 

Is disinhibited social engagement disorder treatable?

Disinhibited social engagement disorder is treatable on a psychological level once a specialist evaluates both the child and his or her family. Then, the specialist can establish an individualized treatment.

The treatment will always aim to make the child feel comfortable in his or her daily environment. And it may involve activities like playing and drawing. The objective will be to support the family, facilitate understanding of the disorder, and strengthen the parent-child bond.

When will the child begin to show signs of improvement?

However, it’s impossible to say how soon children will manage to achieve a healthy and positive development on a social and emotional level, and begin to feel cared for and protected in their immediate surroundings. Therefore, the duration of treatment will vary according to each child, as well as to his or her age.